Mary Lea Gallagher

She was born August 16, 1928 in Bigelow, Missouri to William and Selma Smith, the thirteenth of fifteen children.

Mary Lea was baptized at the First Christian Church in Mound City. She graduated from Mound City High School in 1947 and St. Joseph Beauty University in 1948. She worked as a beautician for Dorothy’s Beauty Shop in Mound City and later at Dolly Madison in Kansas City.

On September 22, 1955, she married Eldon Gallagher in St. Joseph, Missouri. He preceded her in death in 2000. They lived in Maitland prior to moving to their farm west of town. Mary Lea was a hard working farm wife and mother who proudly raised three sons. She loved her family and enjoyed gardening, making quilts, and scrapbooking.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Erma Hinkle, Ruby Shunkwiler, Mildred Diggs, Dorothy Moss, Miriam Noland, and Wilma Shockley; brothers, Joe D. Eldon, Wayne Herschel, William and Raymond Smith; and an infant grandchild.

Services: 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, Pettijohn & Crawford Family Funeral Service. Interment Maitland Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Friends may call between the hours of 3:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M., Monday, Pettijohn & Crawford Family Funeral Service. For those wishing to make a memorial contribution, the family requests they be made to Tri-City Friendship Center in Maitland. Online guest book and obituary at www.pettijohncrawford.com.